Character Building

Open-space Proponents Concerned Over Lockport Annexation Bids

October 25, 1998|By Ken O'Brien. Special to the Tribune.

Lockport officials soon will take up four requests to annex more than 400 acres in Homer Township, a possibility that is drawing fire from township officials and residents concerned about preserving open space.

The Lockport Plan Commission has issued favorable recommendations for annexing properties along 167th Street between Gougar and Cedar Roads. The City Council is expected to vote on the requests Wednesday.

Homer residents questioned the timing of the annexations, which will be considered less than two weeks before Homer voters decide on an $8 million bond issue for open-space preservation.

Supporters of the referendum plan say open spaces must be saved to stop Lockport from annexing land in Homer Township, producing developments that would change the township's rural character.

Montalbano Homes Inc., of Westmont, wants two parcels, totaling 202 acres, annexed at the northeast and northwest corners of Division Street and Cedar. Plans for the land include building 234 town homes, 405 single-family homes and 28 acres for parks. The developer also proposes a 9-acre commercial strip along Cedar.

Lockport resident Algis Lieponis wants 208 acres on both sides of Division annexed and zoned for office, research and light manufacturing uses. Lieponis has not proposed a use for the site, said attorney Michael McGurn, who also represented Montalbano Homes and the other two petitioners, Mark Siegers and Leroy Steffes.

Siegers, a Lockport resident, wants a 3-acre parcel annexed, and Steffes, a City Council member, is seeking annexation for a 2-acre parcel. Siegers and Steffes are seeking the same zoning designation as Lieponis.

The parcels are near the path of the proposed Interstate Highway 355 extension, as were five parcels on 129 acres in Homer Township that Lockport annexed in July. The four annexation requests are being made just before Homer Township residents decide the referendum measure about preserving open spaces on Nov. 3.

"This is the perfect example of why people in Homer Township are trying to put together an open space plan," Jim Davis, a member of the Committee for the Preservation of Homer Township, said of the annexations.

"Why does Lockport feel it has to take anything that comes along?" Homer resident Margaret Sabo asked during the hearing on the Montalbano Homes petition. "It is time to be particular."

Other residents cited concerns about how the development would produce more students for local schools, including Homer Community Consolidated School District 33C, which already is overcrowded by 500 students.

Ben Entwistle, co-chairman of Homer's preservation committee, predicted that the new subdivision would produce 885 new students for the elementary district and more than 400 for Lockport Township High School District 205.

Homer Township Supervisor Ron Svara asked the developer to put buffer zones between the subdivision and current homes.

Anthony F. Possidoni, vice president of land acquisition and development for Montalbano Homes, said the company would agree to Svara's request.

Svara also complained that the developer and Lockport officials did not communicate well with Homer officials about the proposed subdivision. As a result, Homer officials will have to be "more vigilant," Svara said.

If the City Council approves the annexation and zoning requests, construction of the subdivision could begin next spring, Possidoni said. The City Council approved the concept plan for the development this summer.

The plan commission voted 3-1 in favor of the Montalbano Homes request. The commission voted 4-0 for the requests by Siegers and Steffes and 3-1 on the Lieponis request.